Psalms 22, 23, and 24 form a wonderful trinity of truth!

*  Psalm 22 speaks of the crucifixion of the Lord Jesus.  It begins by saying, “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?”  Most will recognize that these are the same words spoke from the cross by the Lord Jesus.  We read in Matthew 27:46, “And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?”

*  Psalm 23 speaks of present day blessings because of the finished work of the Lord Jesus.  It is because of that pitiful cry of our Lord, “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” that we can truly exclaim, “The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.”  With Christ as our shepherd, we see in this psalm how He provided for all our needs, He protects us, and He guides.

*  Psalm 24 speaks of a future day when the Lord comes to rule in universal dominion during His millennial reign on the earth.  This psalm begins by stating, “The earth is the LORD’S, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein.”  The earth belongs to the Lord and we are His subjects.  During His millennial reign on the earth, the Lord will rule in righteousness over His creation.

Now let’s read Psalm 24:7-10, “Lift up your heads, O ye gates; and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in. Who is this King of glory? The LORD strong and mighty, the LORD mighty in battle. Lift up your heads, O ye gates; even lift them up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in. Who is this King of glory? The LORD of hosts, he is the King of glory. Selah.”

These verses manifest to us this great man who fully answered to the description given to us in Psalm 24:3-5, “Who shall ascend into the hill of the LORD? or who shall stand in his holy place? He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully. He shall receive the blessing from the LORD, and righteousness from the God of his salvation.”  Here we have the glorious manifestation of the King of King and His entrance into His dwelling place on earth…Zion.  Our Lord Jesus Christ could ascend into the hill of the Lord because His hands were clean, and His heart was pure.  The very One who wore a crown of thorns at His crucifixion trial will then be crowned with many crowns.

“Who is this King of glory?”  It is the King of kings and Lord of lords.   It is the One who said, “I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore.” (Revelation 1:18).  It is the Lamb of God.  It is the very Son of God and God the Son.  It is our Lord Jesus Christ!  What a day, glorious day, that will be!  (373.4)